March 17, 2022
On March 15, the AMA sent a letter to Congressional leadership disputing a recommendation (p. 149) by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to freeze Medicare physician payment rates for 2023.
MedPAC is an independent congressional agency established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to advise Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program.
While MedPAC includes in its rationale that they expect “volume and revenue to return to prepandemic levels (or higher) by 2023,” the AMA stresses that this rationale fails to recognize “fiscal uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, statutory payment cuts, consistent lack of inflationary updates, and significant administrative barriers.”
The AMA also argues that a continued freeze on Medicare payments to physicians is irreconcilable with “the nearly 8% payment increase the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projects for Medicare Advantage plans in 2023.” The AMA letter goes on to criticize a lack of adequate annual updates to physician payment under Medicare.
The MMA recently met with members of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation to urge their support of adequate Medicare physician payment and will continue to inform membership of federal movement on this issue.
October 9, 2025
The MMA is partnering with Hennepin Healthcare to offer an in-person session on “Supporting Patients, Families, and Professionals in the Aftermath of Crisis” on October 21 from 6 to 8 pm in Room RL110 at the HCMC Red Building, 730 South 8th Street, in Minneapolis.
October 9, 2025
The MMA, in partnership with the Wisconsin Medical Society, will lead a panel discussion titled "The Role of Medical and Professional Societies in Supporting Clinicians and Community Health" at the Transforming Community and Rural Healthcare 2025: Bold Innovation and Partnerships symposium, to be held on October 27-28, at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester.
October 2, 2025
The federal government shutdown will affect the Minnesota healthcare system in several important ways.